Famine and poet's letter to Thomson

5th January, 1916

Severe famine in Bankura. Sadharan Brahmasamaj, Bangiya Hitasadhan Mandali and other voluntary organizations engaged in extensive relief work. Relief funds are being raised. Poet suggests that his play Phalguni be performed and the proceeds be donated towards relief. Abanindranath, Gaganendranath,etc. all come to perform. From Santiniketan poet writes to Thomson saying he is “up to my neck in the rehearsals..."

James H. Cousins

15th January, 1916

Irish poet, art critic and educationist James H. Cousins who is a friend of Yeats and Annie Besant comes to see the poet at Jorasanko. They've already exchanged correspondence. A long association between the two gets under way.

Maghotsav - 86th annual festival

25th January, 1916

The 86th annual festival observed. Morning session held at Brahmasamaj mandir as usual. Evening session held at Jorasanko. Poet speaks at both the sessions and refers to the European conflict raging. A choir of students from the Vidyalaya sings the songs.

Bairagya Sadhyan
& Phalguni

29th January, 1916

Performed at Jorasanko mansion on a meticulously crafted stage. Poet performs in both the prelude and the play proper. The cast consists of Abanindranath, Gaganendranath, Rathindranath, Dinendranath, Pearson, Asit Kumar Halder, Ajitkumar Chrakrabarty,etc. The production, with its highly innovative stage settings and scenery, marks a watershed in the history of Bengali theatre.

Shilaidaha

Artists

February, 1916

Three young artists--Nandalal Bose, Surendranath kar and Mukul Dey descend on Shilaidaha and sit at feet for days on end, receiving lessons in what Nandalal calls "practical nature-study" and a unique "glimpse' of life into which they are initiated by him. Nandalal produces a number of sketches during this visit.

Patisar Hitoishi Fund

21st February, 1916

Goes to Patisar by boat with Pearson to make arrangements for the proper management of the Patisar Hitoishi Fund and ensure that young men, who've come here - inspired by him for rural service, get on well with the local people.

Pearson's experience

28th February, 1916

For him "It has been a delightful experience to be living on the boat with him and to see him with his tenants who love him so deeply—". Pearson's translation of the poet's Sesher Ratri is printed in the Modern Review under the title Mashi.

Phalguni
is published

Chhatrasasantantra

1916

Writes the essay Chhatrasasantantra
(printed in Sabuj Patra). Its English translation-Indian Students and Western Teachers
-is printed in the Modern Review
(April, 1916). In this carefully calibrated reaction to the infamous Oaten affair at Presidency College, Kolkata, involving Subhas Chandra Bose
poet criticises racist colonial arrogance on the part of the English teachers and stands up for the students.

Another odyssey

April, 1916

He again yields to wanderlust. Another reason why he's keen to go abroad is the acute need of funds for developing the school--a task in which he increasingly invests all his energy. He has been invited to give a series of lectures in the USA too. Plans to go to USA via the Pacific and Japan. Writes to Rathindranath, instructing him to make arrangements as soon as possible. Andrews will go with him.

Translation of Raja o Rani
and Viswarjan

Hong Kong

24th May, 1916

In Hong Kong receives telegrams and letters from Japan congratulating him. The boat is instructed by Japanese authorities to sail straight to Japan because the Japanese are very keen to receive the poet. Leaves Hong Kong.

Kobe, Japan

Mobbed by reporters and photographers

29th May, 1916

As usual they are mobbed by reporters and photographers. Poet is received by some Indian residents in Japan whose telegrams inviting him to Japan was received by him in Hong Kong. He's also received by his Japanese friends--artists Yokoyama Taikan, Katsuda Shokin, Sano Jinnosuke (former teacher at the Vidyalaya) and the well-known traveller Kawaguchi Ekkai.

Flower-arrangement

Tea party

4th June, 1916

Invited to a tea party by Mr. Muraiyama--owner of the Asahi newspaper. Poet highly appreciates the modesty, sophistication, decorum and the restrained yet graceful behaviour of women he encounters in the aristocratic household.

Taikan's house

5th June, 1916

They are taken to Taikan's house where poet is graciously received by Mrs. Taikan and Okakura's widow. Pearson writes that they have "reached the heart of Japan after having experienced the modernised and Westrnised Japan." Poet gives vent to similar feelings.

"Ideals of Art"

Classical performance of Japanese dance

10th June, 1916

Later in the evening at the best restaurant of Tokyo the poet is entertained with a classical performance of Japanese dance.” it seems as if it (dance) is the music of physical movement…Japanese dance is absolutely total dance. There is not the slightest bit of nakedness in its costumes..."

The Message of India to Japan

11th June, 1916

The next day poet delivers his address The Message of India to Japan
at Tokyo Imperial University before an audience of fifteen hundred strong with a sizable presence of Indians, Americans and Englishmen.Present amongst the audience was Mirra Richard, later known as
Sree Maa
or
The Mother.

Poet criticizes western civilization

11th June, 1916

Rabindranath characterises western civilisation as “Political Civilisation" which "is scientific, not human…it enshrines gigantic idols of greed in its temples…there is a moral law in this world which has its applications both to individuals and organised bodies of men. You cannot go on violating these laws in the name of your nation, yet enjoy their advantage as individuals..."he warns Japan to steer clear of its pitfalls and cling to her spiritual values. Romain Rolland will soon hail this address as a sign post which points to a bend in human history.

School

Comes to Yokohama

15th June, 1916

Leaves Tokyo and retreats to more peaceful Yokohama where he spends the next two months at the invitation of Hara Tomitaro, a wealthy silk merchant. Poet speaks in glowing terms of his host Tomitaro. In Tomitaro's house he sees high class paintings by Taikan and Koanjan Shimomura. He is fascinated and writes about them in his letters to Rathindranath and Abanindranath.

Reaction

1916

Perhaps as a reaction to what is seen as the poet's pacifism by at least a section of the Japanese elite, enthusiasm for Tagore rather rapidly ebbs away, leaving him an eminent but rather isolated figure in the aftermath of the Tokyo university lecture.

Dinner

The Spirit of Japan

2nd July, 1916

The same day he speaks in the afternoon to students of private colleges at Keio University on The Spirit of Japan. In this lecture he praises Japan's progress in many fields but comes down more sternly than before on Japan's imitation of the west. Criticism of his views in the press is increasingly bitter. Japan has benefited enormously at the expense of China cynically making the most of its position as a partner of the allies in the Pacific, grabbed German possessions in the Far East and is eying further gains. Predatory nationalism and militarism is ascendant in Japan and no wonder there are few takers for the poet's views.

Karuizawa

August, 1916

Spends 3/4 days with graduates and teachers of Tokyo Women's university on karuizawa hill at their invitation. Pearson and Andrews are with him. Pearson will later write--"These women students with their deep devotion had listened to the message of their Bengali guest, and had served him with their love and reverence."

Back to Yokohama

Kampo Arai

22nd August, 1916

Poet makes the acquaintance of painter Kampo Arai at Hara Tomitaro's house. Engages him to copy paintings in Tomitaro's collection and invites him to visit India and stay at Jorasanko. Writes to Rathindranath asking him to make arrangements for his stay when he arrives 2/3 months later.

Arrives at USA

1st & 2nd tours

September, 1916

During his first visit (1912-13) he was but a stranger here with few friends and acquaintances in an essentially alien country. Three years later he is an honoured and internationally known, though exotic literary figure whose voice commands attention and respect. There's another crucial difference, though. The main purpose of this lecture tour is to raise badly needed funds for the development and expansion of the Santiniketan Vidyalaya. Poet is always, often painfully aware of this and this awareness is reflected in his letters to relatives and friends.

Lectures at USA

September, 1916

The lectures he'll deliver here won't be fundamentally different from the ones he recently delivered in Japan, will differentiate narrow, soul-destroying nationalism from international humanism--his solution for the evils of a war-torn world--as sharply as before and offer a trenchant critique of western “Political Civilisation."The reactions will be more widespread, somewhat more sensational for several reasons. In the first place, this is an English-speaking country; secondly, as his tour will progress, the country's entry in the War will be more and more imminent and this will cast its shadow on everything; thirdly the Gadar Party of expatriate, anti-British Indians will maintain a hostile stance towards him.

Portland

26th September, 1916

Delivers the same lecture at a meeting organised by the Drama League of America at Lincoln High School. This address will be later published in the anthology Nationalism (1917) under the title Nationalism in West. It is a seminal essay and strikes the keynote of all his utterances on the subject powerfully, even vehemently drawing both criticism and praise.

Pasadena

Letter to Rathindranath

11th October, 1916

Poet writes to Rathindranath. The letter is significant because it explains why he’s exerting himself so manfully and contains an early statement of the mission which will, before long, crystallise in the vision of Viswabharati. It also lays stress on universal humanism as opposed to predatory nationalism.

Stray Birds

New York

18th November, 1916

Arrives in New York. Stays at E.W. Paterson's house. Accommodation arranged by Mrs. Moody. Newspapers pay considerable attention to him, print interviews in which poet speaks candidly expressing his views on a range of subjects with the same boldness which characterises his choice of The Cult of Nationalism for public reading in spite of sharp reactions provoked by it.